Railway safety gate



Nov. 3, 923.

C. ENACHE RAILWAY SAFETY GATE Filed July 28, 3 Sheets-Sheet l -Nmn 13,1923.

A 3,473,905 c. ENACHE RAILWAY SAFETY GATE Filed July 28, 1925 3 SleeLS-Shee'fI 2 gnou/nto@ l N m d Cktoz ne 3 @Octaaf/2de@ C. ENACHE RAILWAY SAFETY GATE Filed July 28, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Non. 113, 1923.

Utilita-Elf@ CCU ZEEACHE, GF DALLAS, TEXAS.

RALW'AY SAFETY GATE.

Application filed July 29,

Be it known that I, tooiU lCNwHn, a citi* '/.en of the United States ot' America7 residing at Dallas, in the `county of Dallas and tritate of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Safety Gat-es, of which thefollowing` is a specilication. 1

This invention'a'elates to new and useful improvements in railway safety gates.

The. object of the invention is to provide certain iml'irovements as well as additions to the `gate covered by my Letters Patent No. 1,394,813, issued Oct. Q5, 1921.

One of the improvements consists in eliminating the grooves in the head ot' the rail and reducing the number of parts.

A further vbjeit is to simplify the gate structure.

Another object of the invention to provide an automatic sat'ety gate that will he comparatively simple. etlicientand practical as well as reliable.

construction designed to carry out the invention will he hereinafter described toretherl with other tentures ot the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a readingot' the following specification and by reference to the accompanying' drawings, in which an example ot the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan View ot an apparatus (fonstrnctcd in accordance with my invention,

Fig: 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail of one ot the slide bars,

Fig. is a plan view of the operating means for closing the gates,

Fig'. 5 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 6 is a "detail ot the gate swinging elements,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7- of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a. side elevation of one of the gates in its closed position,

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on thc line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

"In the drawings the numeral 10 designates one of the rails and 11 the other rail of a railway/track. At the crossingl over the track I arrange four gates, two on each side ot the track swinging toward. each other. Each gate includesan upright yoke 12 (Fig.

8) which is rigidly mounted. ilournaied at taken on the section Staand 1923. Serial No. 654,313.

its upper and lower ends in said yoke is a. post 13 to which is hinged a gate panel 14. llle gate panel has an outer hing-ed section 15 provided with trunnions 16 journaled in arms 17 extending from the panel proper. The arms have slop lugs 18 project-ing in the path of section 15 whereby the latter may swing,r inwardly, but not outwardly.

W hen the ,gate is closed it is desirable to lock the sectiond against swinging inwardly also and a slidable, bolt 19 is provided for..Y the purpose. The bolt 19 is mounted tlfrslide in brackets 20 mounted on having its end engaging in a. keeper 21 on the section 15. A coiled spring connected with the bolt and the innermost bracket i2() tends to pull the holt from the keeper. (la the yoke l mount a. stop arm 221 having a cani t'ace ereducing to a point at the tree end ot the arm. The bolt has a slot 19 (Fig. 10) and the end of' the arm enters said slot when the gate approaches the end of its closing movement.

t wiil be seen that normallyv and during the greater portion of the swinging movement of the gate, in closing, the spring 22 -will hold the holt retracted, Yfrom the keeper 21, 1out when the gate' closes the cam 24 will ride into the slot 1Q and slide the bolt into the keeper. l/vlhen the gate is opened the holt will he carried away trom the cam and thus it a vehicle was near the gate, the seetion would he released after the initial opening swing oi the gate and this section would yield upon striking the-vehicle and prevent injury thereto. The gate being hinged to swingontwardly, when closed, it will be seen that a vehicle caught on the track ma continue and drive through the gates. The arm also acs'as-a'stop because the cam does not go all the way through the slot 1S.

For swinging the gates provide train operated means. Each post 13 has pivoted in the lower portion thereof, the end of a link 25 (Figs. 6. Band 10). The other end of each link is pivoted to a slide 26 confined on the side of the adjacent rail. A pair ot' bridle hars 2'? have their ends 27 (Fig. 7 looped ander the. rails 10 and l1 and fastened to the slides. QA pull rod 28 is connected with the right hand slide (Fig. 1.) of rail 10 whiie a second 'pullod 28 extending in the opposite direction is connected to the left hand slide orp `rail l1. rhe means .tor operating the reds is duplicated.

An actuating bar 29 has its end attached to one of the bridle bars 27 and passes under the other bridle bar; While a second actuatm ing bar 30 extending from the opposite direction passes under one of the bridle barsA and oppositely, but it- Will be seen that when one bridle bar is moved .y one or' the slides 26, the lever and poti'nan 3l will cause the movement of the other.

' gates are operated by one the slip joint ot A The rods 28 and 28' are used to close the gates and the bers 29 and 30 are actuated to open the gates. The .ineens to pull the rods is located on each side of the crossing so as to be operated by trains approaching from either direction. At a suitable distance from the crossing a tripping lever Se (Figs. 4 and 5) is pivoted inside the rail l0 on a bracket 35 secured to one of the crossties. The lever is held contiguous to the' head of the rail by a spring keeper 86., so as to be depressed' by the langes ot'the wheels of the locomotive. The swinging end of the lever is ollset and bifurcated l'or pivotal'ly receiving the upper end of a bell crank lever 37 mounted under the track on a hanger 38 in a 'casino 43.

When the lever Bil is depressed the lever 37 is swung, its lower end being swung away from the crossing. A link 39 connects the y lower end of the lever 37 withga linger l0 depending from the end of the rod 28, which is pulled thereby. The rod has slots t2 rcceiving studs 41 extending from the web of the rail, whereby said rod is slidably supported. The rod includes a slip joint formed by ears 44 connected by a bolt l5 loose therein. This divides the rod into two sections, one of which is connected with the link 39 and the other ot which is connected with the right hand slidc"26 (Fig. l). lt will be understood that the .rod 28 is a duplicate of rod 28 and the operating means Jfor the saine is duplicated, but When the the other rodv prevents interference, as is indicated in Fig. l.

It will be seen that the links .25 are connected to the posts 13, outwardly of their trunnions and consequently longitudinal movement of said links will swing the posts and the gates. When the rod 28 is ulled the bridle ,bars 27 are moved away AArom cach other and a pushing movement imparted to the links 25, which swings the gates to a closed position, in which they are shown in Fi l.

or opening the gates the bridle bars are nez/acca moved toward each other and this'exerts a pulling movement on the links 25 Whicn swings the gates open, and the bars 29 and 30 are eniployed for this purpose. The bar 3G cooperates with the vrod 28 and located on the opposite side of the crossing is a tripping lever 46 pivoted in a bracket 47 against" the inner side of the rail l0. The lever isheld against the rail by a sprin keeper 48. rlhe outer end of the lever is ifurcated and is pivoted to the upper end of e link 49, piv.- oted to the vlower end of a bell crank lever 5t) mounted in a bracket 5l iria-casing 53 under the track. The upper end of the bell crank lever is pivoted to a pitman 52 which has its opposite end curved upwardly and' connected with the down-turned end 30 or the bar 30. The mechanism is duplicated on the other side or the crossing and connected with the bar 29.

The operation is as follows:

A train approaching from the right llig. l) will close the gates. rlhe flanges o the Wheels of the locomotive ride upon the lever 34 and depress the saine whereby the bell cranlf. lever 3? isswung, its lower end' moving downwardly. The lever 3'( through the medium ot' the link 39, pulls the rod 28, which being attached to one of the slides 26, pulls the latter. The right slide Zllig. l) being attached to the right hand bridle ber 27 pulls the latter away from the other bridle bar @Tand being attached to the bar 30 Will swine the lever 33, whereby the other bar 27 is pulled away from the first bar' 27.,-

ythe bars 217 thus being spread apart.

The spreading of the barsmoves all ot the slides.v and eachlink 25 pushes on its connection 'with its respective gate post 13, whereby the gate is swung to a closed position. The gate panels 14 being hinged to their posts to swing outward, it will be seen that a vehicle caught on the track may pass through the gates. For swinging a gate to its normal position with relation to its post 13 l provide a flexible connection 54 attached tothe panel le and passing under a. pulley 55 on the inner end of said panel. The connection passes over e. pulley 56 on the post and down to an eye 58; A coiled spring 57 is includeddn the connection and intenvsioned when' the section is swung' on the post, thus returning the panel to its nor mal position when it is released. Normally -the bolt 19 is retracted from the keeper The lever 24a remains depressed. until re- Vstored by a return movement ot' the rod 28. The gates remain closed until the last car 4has passed the crossing. .f'gate opening device is far enough removed from the crossing to prevent the locomotive from reaching it until the last car has crossed. This is shown on the lelt hand side of Fig. l and includes a tripping lever d6 depressed by the train wheels. '.l'he lever f swings a bell crank lever .5U by means ot a Elli L as link 52. rlhe lever 50 pulls a ptman 52 which in turn pulls the bar 30. The bar 30 pulls the remote bridleibar 2T toward the center of the crossing and swings the lever 33, whereby the nearest bar 2T is pushed toward the remote bar 27, the bars 2T thus being moved toward each other.

When the bridle bars are thus moved they Y exert a pull on the links 25 and the latter swingl the gates to. an vopen position After the united movement by the gates thebolts are retracted by the springs 22 and the sections l5, thus freed, so if any obstruction, as a vehicle should be within the swing' ot the `gate, the section 1'5 would yield and not damage or injure the same. ji coiled spring 59 connecting the section 15 and the panel la returns the section to its normal position. Whenxthe bars 27 are moved together in opening the lrates a forward pull will be contributed to the .rod 2S, whereby the .lever 34 will be restored to 'ils elevated position.

What I claim, is:

1. ln a railway crossing gate, a plurality ot swinging gates, a sliding nnitbetween the ,gates for swinging; the same, a pull rod along' the track for moving,r the unit to close the gates, a wheel operated device for pullinn; said rodfan actuating bar connected to the unit, and a second wheel operated device for sliding the actuating' bar to slide the unit and open the gates.

2. ln a railway crossingT gate, a plurality of swinging' gates, a pair of bridle bars connected with the gates for swingingr them, connections between the bars for operating them in unison, train operated means 'l'or moving the bars apart to close the gates,

and a second train operated means for mov-` ing the bars toward each other to open the gates. i

3. ln an automatic railway crossing' gate', a plurality ot' swinging; gates arranged in pairs on each side ot the track, bridle bars extending' under the tracks. rate s'ivingil'igr means connected with the gates and the bars, means connecting the bars for moving" the other bar wben one bar is moved, and train actuated means tor operating said bridle bars for closing` the gates.

4l. ln 'an automatic railway crossing; grate, a plurality of swinging,r gates arranged in pairson each side ot the track, bridle bars extending under the tracks, gate swinging;

means connected with the -aies and the bars, means connecting` the bars l'or movingl the other bar when one bar is moved, train actuated means 'for operating' said bridle bars for closingA the gates, and a second train actuated means for oppositely operating said bars to opefn said gates.

5. .ln an automatic railway crossingA gale, a plurality ot sv inging gates arranged in pairs on each side ol the track, slides mounted on the rails, bridle bars conncctiimr the slides on one side with those on the other side, means for connecting the bridle bars for moving the same together with the sldes in unison, operating connections between the slides and the gates tor swinging the latter, and train operated means for -actuating the slides to close the gates.

(3. ln an automatic railway crossing gate, a plurality oli' swinginga gates arranged in pairs on each side ot the track, slide mounted on the rails, bridle bars connecting the slides on one side with those on the other side, means l'or connecting the bridle bars for moving the same together with the slides in unison, opi-mating connections bc- 'twecn the slides and the gates for swinging the latter, train operated means for actuating' the slides to close the gates, and a second train actuated means attached tothe bridle bar connections tor retracting the safl bars to open the gates.

ln an automatic railway crossing'gate, a plurality of zgratos arranged in pairs on each side ot'lhc track, slides mounted on the rails, bridle bars connecting the slides on opposite sides and exlendinfr under the rails, swinging connections between the slides and the gates, pullingin elements n'iounled on the. rails and connected with the slides for operating' the same to close the gates, and train operatingr means t'or actuating the pulling elements. i

H. ln an automatic railway crossing,r gate,

a pluralily ot gates arranged in pairs on each side ol the traclnslides mounted on the` swna'ing connections between the slides and connected with tho`slidcs tor operating,r the same to close the `rates` oppositely directed actuating' bars crossing' the bridle bars, the opposite ends ol,f said actuating,r bars, a centrally piroted lever connected with one of the actuating bars. a pitman connected with said lever and also lo the adjacent bridle bar, a train depressed element tor actuating the pulling elements, and a second train depressed element Yfor operai'ing` said 'ao touting' bars. l l

9. A swinging railwayv post. a panel hinged to the post, an end section hinged to the panel, stops on the panel limiting the swinging` oi' the panel in one direction, a sliding bolt on the panel adapted gate including lill) lll.;

l against swinging, a spring on the section normally holding the bolt retracted from the section, and a xed stop engaged by the bolt, whereby the latter is slid into locking engagement with the gate section.

l0. In an automatic railway crossing gate, a plurality of swinging gates, an operating unit or said gat-es at the crossing, a rod on the rail for actuating said unit to close the gates, a tripping lever contiguous to the rail, a bell crank lever connected with said tripping lever, and a forwardly directed link connecting the bell-crank lever with the rod.

ll. ln an automatic railway crossing gate, a plurality of swinging gates, an operating unit lior said oates, a bar for aetuatin said D unit to open the gates, a tripping lever contlguous to 'the rail, a bell crank lever, a link connecting the levers, and a pitman Connecting the vbell Crank lever with Vthe bar.

In testimonyv whereof I afliX my signature.

Coon] ENACHE., 

